1. AUTHORITY

The Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Scientific Colloquium Committee, also known as the Goddard Scientific Colloquium Committee, is established by authority of the Center Director. It operates under this Charter and the sponsorship of the Director of the Sciences and Exploration Directorate (SED).  Its establishment is recognized officially as appropriate for this Center, which has been at the forefront of research and exploration helping to lead the world to discover new knowledge about the Universe. Its purpose is to bring speakers on topics of broad interest to the Goddard and Washington area scientific communities, not limited to topics in the Earth and space sciences but covering the whole range of scientific endeavor.

2. OBJECTIVES

The committee is chartered to:

• Conduct a series of Wednesday afternoon colloquia designed to enhance the scientific environment of Goddard Space Flight Center;
  
• Maintain the high quality of the colloquium program since its inception in 1965;
  
• Identify and invite to these colloquia speakers who will interact with Goddard scientists and present scientific results of interest to the entire Goddard community and,
  
• Arrange for these speakers to meet with Goddard scientists and learn about the scientific programs carried out at Goddard.

3. MEMBERSHIP

The membership of the committee will consist of twelve Goddard Civil Servant (or contractor, if funding is available) scientists. 

The chairperson of the committee will be appointed by the Director of the SED.  The remaining members of the committee will be appointed by the Director of the SED or his/her designated representatives in consultation with the chairperson of the committee.  The membership of the committee will reflect the diverse range of space and Earth sciences of the Center.

Each member, including the chairperson, will serve for a period of 4 years.  The terms can be renewed, but renewal is not automatic.  The terms will be staggered so that 3 members of the committee are appointed each year.  In the case of a resignation from the committee, the vacant position will be filled as soon as possible, not waiting for the next cycle of appointments.  The beginning of the committee term will be July 1.

Opportunity to serve on the committee will be advertised among Civil Servant scientists in May of each year.  Expressions of interest will be addressed to the committee chairperson, who will present them to the Director of the SED or his/her designated representatives for consideration, with a decision to be made before July 1.

4. COMMITTEE FUNCTIONS

• The committee members, working with support staff, will have a range of responsibilities, including:
  
• Monitoring scientific meetings, news and literature for topics and speakers who would be appropriate speakers for the colloquium series;
  
• Nominating candidate colloquium speakers to the committee, including descriptions of possible topics and an outline of why the speaker would be a good choice;
  
• Participating in the voting process for speakers to be invited;
  
• Extending invitations to selected speakers and working interactively with the committee chairperson to arrange speaking dates, typically for those speakers originally nominated by the committee member;
  
• Collecting information about speakers, including an abstract and photo to be used in the flyers advertising speakers;
  
• Advertising speakers and providing Goddard Dateline with this information (electronically) to help advertise the upcoming talks.
  
• Hosting the speaker during the speaker�s visit to Goddard, including introducing the speaker at the colloquium;
  
• Escorting visitors wishing to attend the colloquium from the main gate to the colloquium building.
  
• Planning dinner for the Lindsay and Nordberg Lecturers (distinguished speakers), as needed.
  
•  Maintaining the Scientific Colloquium Web page, scicolloq.gsfc.nasa.gov;
• Preparing and publishing the schedule of speakers;
• Arranging paperwork as needed for the speakers, including travel expenses and forms for permission to record talks;
• Arranging with Security for access for speakers and other guests from outside the Center;
• Maintaining the mailing lists (paper and electronic) used to advertise the colloquia;

The committee will meet twice a year: one time in December to plan the Spring colloquium series and one time in May to plan the Fall-Winter series.  All other business of the committee will be conducted electronically

6.  COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON

The committee chairperson is responsible for the overall functioning of the committee.  Duties of the chairperson include:

• Preparing and monitoring the budget for travel expenses and honoraria for the speakers;
• Scheduling and conducting the meetings of the committee;
• Tabulating the ballots and proposing selection criteria for speakers to be invited;
• Coordinating the schedule for the speakers.
• Maintaining the database of the speakers and talks (from 1965 onward).

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Curator: David J. Thompson NASA Official: Phillip A Newman Last Updated:Monday, March 16, 2009